History Made in NAHB Student Competition at IBS 2022

The NAHB Student Competition is always a highlight of the International Builders’ Show (IBS), as the home builders of the future compete in a rigorous exercise based on real-world questions builders and developers must answer on a daily basis.

During the fall semester, students form teams and prepare a written proposal to solve real-life construction management problems. Teams then present their solutions to a judging panel of residential construction industry experts at IBS.

The 2022 competition featured a return to normal as entries were largely presented in person at IBS in Orlando. Due to ongoing concerns with student travel during the pandemic, teams were given the option to present virtually, although most elected to make the trip to Florida.

Nearly 45 teams from across the country competed this year. There are five different competition and tracks for the Student Chapter teams in secondary, associate, and four-year programs.

“ As future leaders of the construction industry, these students deserve to be recognized for the impressive commitment in participating in the competition,” said Heather Gay, Construction Sciences Program Director at Dunwoody College of Technology and Chair of the NAHB Student Chapter Advisory Board. “ Special thanks to the faculty, staff and industry partners who support this competition.”

Four-Year Programs – Colleges and Universities

In the Production Home Builder competition for four-year programs, teams were asked to create a development plan for a specific 120-acre parcel in North Texas. The team from Tuskegee University won first place for four-year programs. This marks the first time a team from an historically black college or university won the competition.

Tuskegee has been competing in the NAHB Student Competition since 2020, when it won the Rookie of the Year award.

Tuskegee’s win wasn’t the only history made during the student competition. This year, the competition introduced a new track for four-year programs: the NAHB Custom Home Builder Student Competition, which exposed students to a small-scale residential construction project from concept to closing. Teams identified a home building opportunity in a specific geographic area, focusing on the best opportunity for a small builder to be successful.

The team from California Polytechnic State University – San Louis Obispo took first place in the new Custom Home Builder competition.

Associate Degree Programs – Community Colleges and Career and Technical Schools

Student teams from associate degree programs were tasked with creating working drawings, a detailed budget estimate, and construction schedule for a fourplex residence in a real-life development in Ohio.

The team from Kirkwood Community College in Iowa took the top spot in the competition for associate degree programs.

Secondary Programs – High Schools

The NAHB Student Competition for high school students is divided into two separate tracks: Architecture and Construction Management. The architecture tracks more heavily weighs home plans and working drawings while the construction management track focuses on estimating and scheduling for a more complex problem.

The team from Shadow Ridge High School in Arizona won the Architecture track for secondary programs.

The team from Shelby County High School in Kentucky took first place in the Construction Management track for secondary programs.

To see the proposals and videos of the winners and all teams who placed in the competition visit the Student Competition page on nahb.org.

If you haven’t seen the live student competition presentations, consider making time to stop by at the 2023 IBS in Las Vegas. Everyone who attends agrees that it’s encouraging to see the level of talent soon to enter the industry on display.